Description

SP 71 SW ASHENDON HIGH STREET (north west side)

2/1

21.12.67 Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin

- I

Parish church. Early C12 nave and south aisle, c1200 nave and
aisle extended west, c1290 chancel and nave arcade rebuilt. C15 west
tower, clerestory added. Rubblestone with ashlar dressings. Lead roofs,
except chancel which has old tiles. 2 bay chancel, 3 bay nave with
south aisle. West tower and south porch. Chancel has C16 windows
of four-centred lights under a square head with moulded labels, 3-light
to east wall, 2-light to south wall weathered diagonal buttresses.
South nave clerestory has 3 windows of 2 trefoiled lights and tracery
in 2-centred heads. South aisle has 2 windows, right hand one of c1300
of 3-lights with tracery the left of c1330 smaller. C14 doorway with
chamfered and moulded jamb and arch; west wall has lancet light of C13
with C18 lancet beside it. North nave wall has central roundarched
doorway, now blocked and herringbone masonry up to clerestory cill
level. East bay has evidence of north chapel, its roof line and arch
jambs, also blocked opening into former rood loft. c1200 lancet at
west end and stepped buttress. 2 clerestory windows. West tower of
2 stages with diagonal buttresses at west. West doorway has depressed
head, and moulded jambs. 2-light window above has trefoiled lights and
tracery. Single light belfry openings. Plain parapet. Interior.
Chancel has on north wall tomb recess with almost flat arch with ogeed
centre and crockets. Late C13 recumbant stone effigy of a knight. Plain
C13 trefoil head piscina in south wall. Chancel arch c1290 of 2 chamfered
orders with semi-octagonal responds, bases and caps. Nave has rood loft
entries high up at east. 2 east bays of nave arcade as chancel arch with
octagonal pier. At west c1200 bay has pointed arch with chamfered jambs
and hollow chamfer abacus. North side of nave has at east end blocked
c1290 arch into former north chapel. Within is stone screen wall with
blocked squint at left and 4 centred arched door at right, also blocked.
To west is blocked C12 doorway. Tower arch has plain jambs and 2 hollow
chamfered orders dying into responds. Roofs: Chancel has C18 or C19
wagon roof. Nave roof C16 with tie beams and wall posts on corbels.
Short king posts. Moulded rafters, purlins and ridge purlin brackets to
tie beams. South aisle C15 roof with chamfered principals and purlins. Wall
plates moulded. Curved brackets on stone head corbels, some with
tracery spandrels. Font. Circular tapering bowl with roll moulding at
bottom, C12. C17 wood font cover. Pulpit C1700, but on a modern base.
C15 tower newel door of 2 planks. Several C18 wall tablets. South
clerestory outside has moulded lead rainwater heads.
RCHM I, 14.MON.1. Shown as MAIN STREET in error on O.S. 1:2500 Map

Listing NGR: SP7051014212

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526640

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)